Valve control means



March 7 1950 A. MANHARTSBERGER 2,499,402

VALVE CONTROL MEANS Filed Dec. so, 1944 2 shet-sheet 1 VALVE CONTROL MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Filed Dec. 30, 1944 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 VALVE CONTROL MEANS Albert Manhartsberger, Bloomfield, N. J., as-

signor to Specialties Development Corporation, Bloomeld, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 30, 1944, Serial No. 570,608

ls claims. (o1. 169-11) 'Ihis invention relates to valve control means,

and particularly to means for controlling valves or groups of valves from an adjacent or remote location as by rods, cables or the like.

Systems for dispensing a uid pressure medium, such as carbon dioxide, used for extinguishing iires or for other purposes usually comprise one or more containers or cylinders for storing the medium each equipped with a valve or the like for controlling the release of the medium. A valve for this purpose may comprise a spring seated piston operated valve controlled by a pilot valve which normally is maintained in closed position by the pressure of the medium in the cylinder and which is adapted to be unseated to direct pressure medium to the piston of the Valve member. The control means of the present invention are primarily concerned With the operation of the pilot valve or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide simple, inexpensive control means of the foregoing character.

Another obect is to provide valve control means having a housing adapted to have a cable or rod extend entirely therethrough for facilitating the series connection of the valve control means. y I

Another object is to expedite the mounting'and adjustment of a cable or rod relative toV a plurality of valve control means. -v

I Another object is to provide means for remotely or adjacently controlling one or more iiuid regulating valves and including novel housing means, novel force amplifying means and other improvedV elements.' .I

A further object is lto provideadevice-of the above indicated character that is'v simple and durable in construction, economical to manufac` ture land effective' in' its operation;

Other and further objects'of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding' of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or Will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to', one skilled in the art upon employment of .the

invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying draw- Y with control means of the invention.

Y Figure 2 is a side vievi1 on an enlarged scale and v 2 partiallyin section of one of the control means shown in Figure l.

Figure 3 is Ia top plan view of a portion of the structure of Figure 2, the top or cover member being omitted.

Figure 4 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale taken substantially'along the line 4-4 of Figure 2-of atraction means or carriage body of the invention.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a modied form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a View taken substantially the line 6 6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a further modification of the invention.

' Referring to Figure 1, the apparatus or system therein indicated comprises a plurality of containers 1, representative of any desired or necessary number for a given installation, adapted to hold a iiuid medium under pressure, such as carbon dioxide. A valve head I0, in this instance of the pilot valve controlled type, is mounted on each of the containers 1. A control means I2, embodying a housing I4, is mounted on each of the valve heads l 0, and an operating handle I6 is provided at one end of an'elongated element `I 8, such as a cable or rod, extending entirely through the housings I4. i vReieriingto Figure 2, .the valve head I0, for releasing thepressure medium from one of the containers or cylinders .'I, includes a main valve operated. by a piston (not shown) andfcontrolled by a pilot valvemember 26jnormally held against av'alve seat 28 to 'close'a passage 30 through which the pressure medium may be Vconducted from the I along container and through the head Illto the piston for operating the vmain valve. rIlhe pilot valve member 26 is provided with a short stem 32 projecting slightly into a compartment 34 formed by a cylindrical collar 36 on the head III.-

The housing I4 is of substantially T-shape having its depending tubular leg 38 provided with a constricted. lower portion 40 closely iitted into the collar 36, and cooperating with the upper portion of the leg 38 to form a shoulder 42.. A coupling nutk 44 is screw threaded to the outer side of the collar .36, and a wire iB in a recess of the nut and a recess of the leg 38 is provided for adjusting the housing I 4 at any angle about the axis of the container 1..

The cross arm of the T-shaped housing I4 is constructed of separable upper and lower elements 48 and 50, respectively, of substantially channel or trough shape divided along a line 52 and together forming registering end apertures 54 and sleeve like protrusions 56 around the apertures. Tapped holes 58, as better seen in Figure 3, are adapted to receive screws 59 as the means for detachably securing the members 48 and 50 to each other. The upper element 48 is provided with a central longitudinal reinforcing rib 57.

A plunger |30.y having a head B2 in the lower element 5o is `normally held in the position shown by a spring Gil extending between the head |52V and the shoulder 42, and is provided with an intermediate groove carrying a packing gland or sealing ring 66, and with a reduced lower. end tipi 68 for engaging the stem 32 to unseat thev pilot valve member 26.

A resilient elongated track. member la' isdisposed in and along the lower element 5o* at a slight angle thereto normallyy engaging the head' 62 of the plunger 60, and has an angularly bent end l2 engaging the bottom wall of the element Eil, and held in place by'a dowel pin 'I4 extending between the upright' side wallsof' the ,element 50'; The track 'ill may, of course, be otherwise constituted, suchasv being a simple pivoted armheld b'y a separate spring other-than theend T2', or'

by the spring 64 alone, or by having thev end 12; d.,

against the end wall of' the channel and the arm IU under" the pin 14';

carriage or traction means 15 has a body' constructedrof upper and lower parts T8 and' 80;

respectively, constituting complemental means I having grooves. 82, see Figure 4, 'fitting the" cable leforcla'mping the latter therebetween, as by the use of. screws. 84. l

At the left endA of the carriage '16, as viewed in Figures 2 and 3`, the upper and. lower vparts' 'mand 8i! areprovided with integralvertical protrusionsSS and 88, respectively, forming journals tor shafts 90 and 92 carrying wheels 94' and '9'6 respectively,l the protrusions 86' and 88 being peened or'bent-inwa'rdly at'th'e topsand bottoms c toretain the shafts and wheels? in the assembly;

The diameters of thewheels' 94 and 96 are suchl as to cause the wheels to always engage each other, and the wheel' 94 to' always move' on a track surface 85 on the underside ofthe upper channel element 48, andY the wheel 9B to always engage the lower track member '|01 By this arrangement friction is reduced to a minimum.

, Wheels 98` and |00 of smaller diameter, at the right hand end` ofthe carriage .are mounted on shafts H32 and .|04 and held by similar'jo'urnal and? retaining means |06 and |08, respectively.

.As shown .in Figure `l, the handle |`6 is vdisposed at some distance from the righthandl control. means |2- although it coul'dbe'against and partially in the end 'sleeve 5B' .of this' control means. Also, kthe cable |'8 does' not'. extend ventirely through. the left hand control means. of the receiver, in. whichcase the lefthan'd control housing`V I4 needV not be open atthe left'en'd. The' cable I3 therefore may extend entirely'through alllofV the housings, or entirely through at least one or .two of,r them irrespective ofthe number thereon Although the control means are shown as connected inseries relation to each other and to the handle I6, parallel series andY other arrangements may be effected and operated by one or more of the handles.

In operation of the arrangement just described, when the handle I6 is pulled to the right, all of the traction rn'eans or carriages 16' will' be similarly pulled whereby, with the wheels 94 and 9S bearing against'theupper and lower tracks 85 and respectively, the track' To will be sprung sui- 'iently'against the-spring-enect atv the' end' 12 and the pin 14, and against the bias of the spring 64 to depress the plunger 60. This action releases the fluid medium for actuating the pistons and main Valves aforesaid through discharge ports ||U shown in Figure 1 which may be connected to a common conduit line.

By the arrangement whereby the carriage 'I6 isf constructedv` of. the upper' and lower parts 18 and 80 detachably clampedl to the cable I8 by the screws EKL-the cable I8 may first be drawn taut or'placed in any other desired condition and the carriageA adjusted therealong to exact position relative to the track member 16. This adjustment and clampingfmay be eiected with the caryriage and'. cable outside the housing I4, so that irrespective ofthe positions, or discrepancies in the planned' positioning, of the containers 'l and the handle I5, the proper positioning of the carri'ag'e's may be quickly .and accurately effected. By having the cable extend entirely through the housing or'housings, the useof' splices andT other connections is avoided?l andtlie connection of the carriageto' thecable-is shieldedl In the form ofthe invention shown inV Figures 'and" 6', inwhi'ch corresponding parts are designated by corresponding reference'numerals, the track 7U?, instead: of being ai resilient strip fixed to' thef'pin` T4 and the* casing; `wall'sas above describ'ed isfin ythe form ofaycas-t metal lever' pivo'tally mounted by the kpin T4. The' track 1W', in this instance has a portion l`12supportedV on the' pinv T4", a body-I |543 ay lower central'reinforcing' rib ITB; ari-,underside boss' lland an upper side lhump or' projecting' portion |201' for holding tliet'raction` means 76' inl the right forward or actuated" position'. A1 pin' |22, supportedby the sidewalls fof 7the lowerlelement O'extends through an4 aperture |5242 in the vbos's- H'Bl forA limiting upward movement of the track 'IU-"by" the spring E41 which', in this instance` isfthe onlymeans biasing the' track TDupwar-dly-z The traction means 16 of Figures 5*- and` 6; oomprises a lone-piece body |25 secured to the cable |85 'by set screws' |218? and provided: with trunnions |301 axially' alinedf with' each other across thetracksvl" and'185. One pair of'wheels |32 is journaled on the trunnions |30 for riding onthetr-aclr185s and another pair of' wheels |34 is separatelyy journaled' on= theV trunnions |305 for engagement with the track'll". The wheels i3d', in'thisfinstance; areprovidedwith flanges ISE-for centering theA carriageoperation in 'the' absence ofv opposing bias, the carriage 'I'Bis pulleo'rA to' the right, to position where the wheels 34 ride over tlie'liump |320', thecarriage? will 'remain' insuch position until the' cable |58; is pulledin: thereverse direction:

In the form of the'inventionillustrated in Figure '1,v in which corresponding parts are designated by corresponding refenence numerals, the control means |12. comprises a housing |38 including upper and lower elements Mil and |42, the latter. of which has side walls |44 and a bottom wall |l||v forming a channel`, and one end wall |48 formed with a nipple-like protrusion constituting an inlet for theV cable' .|8. The bottorn wall '|46A is provided with a rabbet groove |50', .a pin |5'2` for holding the track, 10", and arecess ld'for'reoeiving the downturned end |56 ofl the track 10".

The' upper element MD includes an end wall |58 having a portion fitted into the groove |50 and a top wall |50 having an ap'erture`l62, a recess l'Mand-'a hollow'clomeor boss: |66. A latch member |68, positioned in the dome |66 and biased downwardly by a spring |10, has a recess for receiving one end of a lever arm |12 that is pivoted on a pin |14 securedto the side walls of the upper element |40. The other end of the arm |12 is disposed in a recess in a button |16 which extends through the aperture |62 to the exterior of the housing |38.

Traction or carriage means |18 are provided comprising a one-piece body |80 having a portion |82 for receiving the cable I8 and for centering a spring |84 which extends from the body |88 to a recess |86 in the end wall |48 of the lower element |42. A roller detent |88 carried by the carriage |18 is adapted to be held by the latch member |68.

Wheels |90 and |92 at opposite sides of the body |80 engage each other and the upper and lower track members 85 andv18, respectively, and are journaled on shafts |94 and |96, respectively, which are offset from each other along the tracks. With the lower Wheels |92 disposed in advance of the wheels |90 in the actuating direction to the right, as shown, the upward bias of the spring 64 tends to tilt the carriage upwardly at its right end, whereby the roller detent |88 is maintained in contact with the track 85 in position for effective cooperation with the latch member |68.

The latch member |68 positively locks the carriage |18 in valve actuated position against the bias of the spring |84 so that, when the button |16 is depressed to release the detent, the carriage will be returned to its off position shown.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that an extremely simple control means has been provided, the total number of parts having been reduced considerably, and the form of each part being such as to render it easy to manufacture and assemble. The parts are rugged and durable and are ideally suited to the service for which they are intended:

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim:

1. In cable-operated valve control means including a plunger, the combination of a track pivoted at one end thereof for movement to actuate the plunger, a stationary track opposite said pivoted track and spaced therefrom, carriage means between said tracks adapted for pulling by the cable, and wheel elements rotatably mounted on and carried by said carriage means for riding on said pivoted and stationary tracks, respectively, one of said tracks having a projection thereon for engagement by said wheel elements to lock said carriage in a position whereby said pivoted track is retained to hold the plunger in an operated position.

2. In valve control means including a plunger, the combination of a track pivoted at one end thereof for movement to actuate the plunger, a stationary track opposite said pivoted track and spaced therefrom, carriage means between said track adapted for pulling by an elongated element and having elements thereon for facilitating riding of said carriage on said pivoted and stationary tracks, respectively, one of said tracks having latching means thereon for engagement by said carriage elements to lock said carriage in a position whereby said pivoted track is retained to hold the plunger in an operated position.

3. In cable-operated valve control means including a plunger, the combination of a track pivoted at one end theerof for movement to actuate the plunger, a stationary track opposite said pivoted track and spaced therefrom, carriage means between said tracks adapted for pulling by the cable, and wheel elements rotatably mounted on and carried by said carriage means for riding on said pivoted and stationary tracks, respectively, said pivoted track having a projection thereon for engagement by said wheel elements to lock said carriage in a position whereby said pivoted track is retained to hold the plunger in an operated position.

ALBERT MANHARTSBERGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,977,789 Allen Oct. 23, 1934 2,243,581 Smith May 27, 1941 A2,386,210 Grant Oct. 9, 1945 

